Mixing, dissolving, or similar apparatus



p 29', 1930- H. s. BEERS MIXING, DISSOLVING, OR SIMILAR APPARATUS Filed May '29, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l f/f A'rT RNEY H. S. BEERS April 29, 1930.

, OR SIMILAR APPARATUS MIXING, DIS'SOLVING Filed May 29, 1929 ZSheets-Sheet 2 A Ill/ 141111 1111141) 'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII AAA R v o 1 E TI 1 m m V m m T 16 r IYIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII'I 3 j 1 treatment of such materials,

eluding a plurality effect on such refractory materials,

Patented Apr. 29, 1930 UNITED STATES HENRY S. BEERS, OF WESTPORT,

PORATION, OF NEW YORK, N.

CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE TURBO-MIXER con- A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK MIXING, DISSOLVING, OR SIMILAR APPARATUS Application filed May 29,

invention relates to mixing, dissolving, shredding, or analogous apparatus, especially designed for handling fibrous, viscous, or other relatively slow-flowing ma- 5 terials, which are slowly or inefficiently reduced or mixed in ordinary mixing apparatus.

To secure the rapid and effective reduction, separation, comminution or similar and thorough intermixture or dispersal thereof throughout the mix, I provide in combination with a suitable propeller or impeller, a stationary flow controlling or deflecting structure, in-

of generally annular plates in spaced, superposed relation, and having on their faces a multiplicity of teeth, so that the mix is forced to move over these relatively large toothed areas, and the ma 20 terials of character above indicated are subjected to repeated tearing actions by the teeth, so that this refractory material is quickly reduced, as sufiiciently referred to above and hereinafter.

According to general practice up to this time. materials of character described have usually been treated in a mixer having smooth blades and other smooth surfaces, which have no adequate tearing, separating or reducing which are only slowly or ineifectively treated or reduced in such apparatus.

Herein I use the word refractory to define materials of character above indicated which are highly resistant to proper treatment in ordinary apparatus; and reducing or other forms of that word) is used to define the separation, attrition, comminution, etc.. of such materials by the repetitious tearing action of a mutiplicity of teeth,

properlyarranged on a plurality of tooth supporting and flow directing surfaces.

I provide the reducing teeth on stationary flow directing or deflecting plates, and omit therefrom blade or other surfaces of the mix propelling or impelling instrumentality, in

order to avoid an impairment of its propelling efiiciency. The flow rate is not objectionably reduced by the stationary toothed plates, or such reduction of flow speed is only 1929. Serial No. 366,794.

to a degree required to produce the desired tearing or reducing action of the teeth.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention are further sufliciently explained in connection with the following detail description of the accompanying drawing, which shows one representative embodiment. After considering this example, skilled persons will understand that many variations may be made without departing from the principles disclosed, and I contemplate the employment of any structures that are properly within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a horizontal section through a mix-tank, showing therein in top plan, mixing apparatus embodying the invention in one form.

Fig. 2 is a section at 22, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section at 3-3, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section at 4--4, Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 shows in section, deflector blade segments in partly assembled relation.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view ofa portion of a toothed, flow direct-ing plate.

Fig. 7 is a section at 7-7, Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view of a modified deflector plate arrangement.

In its broader aspect, the invention is not limited as to the type of mix-impeller or propeller, or its location in the tank. I show as one preferred and representative embodiment, an impeller 1 of the turbo-type, located at the bottom of a cylindrical tank 2. In this instance the tank bottom 3 is concave or rounded, although the bottom formation may be varied.

.The impeller includes vertical, curved and. approximately tangential impelling blades 4, carried by an annular plate 5, having an upcurved threat 6, and connected by centripetally acting blades 7 to a hub 8, fixed on a shaft 9. The periphery of plate 5, in conjunction with the tank bottom, forms in effect a peripheral, circular nozzle 10 from which the mix-materials are discharged in generally tangential directions.

I provide about this nozzle, a plurality of spaced, superposed plates, which are approximately horizontal, or parallel to the tank bottom or cross axial planes of the impeller. In the case of a concave tank bottom, as shown, the plates 11 are of cupped or dished form, inclining upwardly toward their peripheries. For convenience and economy in manufacture and assembly, each complete annular plate is preferably made in a plurality of arcuate segments 12. These plates, or plate segments cooperate with and are supported by deflector blade segments l3 and 13 of which intermediate segments 13 have match ing, V-shaped upper and lower edge formations 14 and the upper segment 13 has a concave, V-shaped lower edge formation 15. The lower plate 11, or series of plate segments, is supported and spaced from the tank bottom by blocks 16 which have convex, V-shaped top formations 17. The plate segments 12 have their end margins 18 bent angularly up: ward, to cooperate with the V-formatrons ot the blade segments and spacer blocks 16, as clearly explained in Fig. 4, and bolts 19 pass through registering holes in the blade segments, and through spacer blocks 16, to connect the entire deflector or structure together and to the tank bottom (Figs. 3 and 4) The blade segments are correspondingly curved and approximately tangentially arranged, to receive material tangentially discharged by the impeller, and to discharge this material, passing between the lower plates 11 andbver the upper. surface of the upper plate, in generally radial directions, and upward, toward and along the tank side wall, and then inward, and downward into the impeller throat 6, as well indicated by arrows in Fig. 2. The spacing of the lower plate ring 11 from the tank bottom avoids the formation of any narrow dead-space in which mixmaterial inight become entrapped and stagnant. g

As a leading feature of the invention, certain surfaces (as shown, the upper faces) of plate'rings 11 are provided with a multl- .plicity of reducing teeth 20; and while these may vary in form and may be separate fromv the plates and attached thereto, for manufacturing convenience and economy they are desirably, as shown, provided by forming them integrally with the plate segments, by punching and bending operations. Specifically, in a preferred form. as shown, the teeth consist of pointed or Vshaped tongues cut in the plates and bent upward, and may have their ends slightly recurved (against the mix-flow) as at 21.

Mixtures of the classes to be treated in the present apparatus are relatively thick and slow flowing. The material is forced (rather than thrown rapidly) outward by the impeller, and squeezed through the deflector plate spaces and between the deflector blade segments 13 and 13; and in view of the nature of the material and to avoid too great impedance of its flow, the number of vertical deflector blades (each'consisting of a vertical series of segments) is substantially reduced, in comparison with standard stationary deflectors of the turbo-type, as designed for handling free flowing or non-refractory mixes, and the circular spacing of these blades is correspondingly increased.

As the material is forced between the plates 11, a large part/of the refractory components is caused to encounter the reducing teeth 20, which vigorously tear, abrade, or separate such components to the desired extent, and quickly complete the reduction of such materials and the intermixture of all the mix components.

Fig. 8 shows that the deflector plates 11 may be made to converge outwardly, thus tending to more uniformly confine the liquid flow and maintain frictional contact of solids with the reducing teeth; or as otherwise stated, the convergence of the plates tends to increase velocity of flow of the material between the plates, whereas in Fig. 2 there is a tendency to reduction of velocity as the material moves outwardly.

I claim:

1. Mixing, dissolving or reducing apparatus, comprising means for producing mixcirculation, and adjacent such means, a plurality of spaced plates substantially parallel to the planes of adjacent mix-flow and provided with toothed surfaces, whereby the mix is forced through the plate spaces and refractory components are reduced by tooth action.

2. Mixing, dissolving or reducing apparatus, comprising means for producing mixcirculation, and adjacent such means, a plurality of spaced plates provided with toothed surfaces, whereby the mix is forced through the plate spaces and refractory components are reduced by tooth action, and deflector blade elements between the plates.

3. Mixing, dissolving or reducing apparatus, comprising means for producing mixcirculation, and adjacent such means, a plurality of spaced plates provided with toothed surfaces, whereby the mix is forced through the plate spaces and refractory components are reduced by tooth action, and deflector blade elements between the plates, and relatively widely spaced from each other.

4:. Mixing, dissolving or reducing apparatus, comprising rotary means for producing mix-circulation, and surrounding such means, a plurality of stationary spaced plates provided with toothed surfaces, whereby the mix is forced through the plate spaces and refractory components are reduced by tooth action, the plates being substantially parallel to planes of adjacent mix-flow.

5. Mixing, dissolving or reducing apparatus, comprising means for producing mixcirculation, and surrounding such means, a

plurality of spaced plates provided with toothed surfaces, whereby the mix is forced through the plate spaces and refractory components are reduced by tooth action, and

ponents are reduced by tooth action, and deflector blade element segments between the plates.

6. Mixing, dissolving or reducing apparatus, comprising means for producing mixcirculation, and surrounding such means, a plurality of spaced plates provided with toothed surfaces, whereby the mix is forced through the plate spaces and refractory components are reduced by tooth action, and defiector blade element segments between the plates, the blade segments serving to. support and space the plates.

7. Mixing, dissolving or reducing apparatus, comprising means for producing mixcirculation, and surrounding such means, a plurality of spaced plates provided with toothed surfaces, whereby the mix is forced through the plate spaces and refractory man- 6- flector blade element segments between the plates, the plates each consisting of a plurality of segments having their end portions engaged between the blade segments and connected thereby.

8. Mixing, dissolving or reducing apparatus, comprising rotary means for producing mix-circulation, and adjacent such means, a plurality of stationary spaced lates provided with toothed surfaces, where y the mix is forced through the plate spaces and refractory components are reduced by tooth action, the toothed plate surfaces consisting of a multiplicity of tongues punched in the plates and bent up therefrom.

9. Mixing, dissolving or reducing apparatus, comprising rotary means for producing mix-circulation, and surrounding such means, a plurality of stationary spaced plates provided wit-h toothed surfaces, whereby the mix is forced through the plate spaces and refractory components are reduced by tooth action, the toothed plate surfaces consisting of a multiplicity of tongues punched in the plates and bent up therefrom.

10. Mixing, dissolving or reducing apparatus, comprising means for producing mixcirculation, and surrounding such means, a plurality of spaced plates provided with toothed surfaces, whereby the mix is forced through the plate spaces and refractory components are reduced by tooth action, the toothed plate surfaces consisting of a multiplicity of tongues punched in the plates and bent up therefrom, and having their ends recurved, against the direction of mix flow.

11. Mixing, dissolving or reducing apparatus, comprising a rotary impeller, and surrounding the impeller, a plurality of stationary approximately parallel, spaced, flow directing plates, and a multiplicity of reducing teeth on certain surfaces of the plates.

and a. multiplicity of reducing 12. Mixing, dissolving or reducing apparatus, comprising a rotary impeller, and surrounding the impeller, a plurality of approximately parallel, spaced, flow directing plates,

teeth on certain surfaces of the plates, and approximately tangential blade segments between the plates.

13. Mixing, dissolving'or-Teducing apparatus, comprising a rotary impeller, and surrounding the impeller, a plurality of approximately parallel, spaced, flow directing plates, and a multiplicity of reducing teeth on certain surfaces of the plates, and approximately tangential blade segments between the plates, and relatively widely spaced froln each other in the circular direction.

14. Mixing, dissolving or reducing apparatus, comprising a rotary impeller, and surrounding the impeller, a plurality of approximately parallel, spaced, flow directing plates, and a, multiplicity of reducing teeth on certain surfaces of the plates, and approximately tangential blade segments between the plates, the plates each consisting of a plurality of arcuate segments.

15. Mixing, dissolving or reducing apparatus, comprising a rotary impeller, and surrounding the impeller, a plurality of approximately parallel, spaced, flow directing plates, and a multiplicity of reducing teeth on certain surfaces of the plates, and approximately tangential blade segments between the plates, the plates each consisting of a plurality of arcuate segments having their ends secured by the blade segments.

16. Mixing, dissolving or reducing apparatus, comprising rounding the impeller, a plurality of approximately parallel, spaced, flow directing plates, and a multiplicity of reducing teeth on certain surfaces of the plates, and approximately tangential blade segments between the plates. the plates each consisting of a pluralityof arcuate segments having their ends secured by the blade segments, and bolts passing through the blade segments to secure them and the plate segments together.

17. Mixing, dissolving or reducing apparatus, comprising a rotary impeller, and surrounding the impeller, a plurality of stationary approximately parallel, spaced, flow directing plates, and a multiplicity of reducing teeth on certain surfaces of the plates. the teeth consisting of integral portions of the plates, cut and bent up therefrom.

18. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a tank having a concave bottom, a,

rotary impeller adjacent the tank bottom. and a flow directing structure adjacent the tank bottom, surrounding the impeller, said structure including a plurality of spaced annular plates in planes approximately parallel to the plane of impeller rotation and through which the mix is forced by impeller action.

a rotary impeller. and sur- 19. Mixing or reducing apparatus of character described, comprising a tank and therein a rotary impeller, and surrounding the impeller a plurality of stationary, annular plates spaced to provide a plurality of annular, substantially radial flow passages through which the mix is forced by the impeller.

20. The structure defined in claim 19, with the addition that the plates converge outwardly, providing outwaidly-diminishing flow passages.

.21. The structure defined in claim 19 with the addition that certain of the plates have on their surfaces a multiplicity of teeth producing a grating or analogous action on the IllIX.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature HENRY S. BEERS. 

